Contactless payments available on light rail and Sydney Ferries

You can now pay for your fare on any Sydney Ferries or light rail service using a contactless card.

Contactless payments offer a convenient alternative to an Adult Opal single trip ticket without needing to buy a ticket from an Opal ticket machine.

If your payment card displays the contactless payment symbol or you have a mobile device linked to a contactless payment account, then you can use it to tap on at an Opal card reader to pay for your fare.

You can use contactless to pay your fare on services that run to 57 locations across Sydney, including popular tourist destinations like Manly, Darling Harbour, Barangaroo, the International Convention Centre, Star Casino and Sydney Fish Markets.

You can tap on and tap off at an Opal card reader to pay your fare using most American Express, Mastercard and Visa cards, plus mobile wallets on smartphones, tablets and watches.

You will be charged the same as an Adult Opal single trip ticket. If you are entitled to concession fares, you should travel with a Child/Youth, Concession or Gold Senior/Pensioner Opal card to avoid paying a higher fare.

Opal benefits such as daily or weekly fare caps do not apply to contactless payments.

You can still pay for your trip with an Opal card or Opal single trip tickets.

You can only use your card or device to tap on for one fare per trip. You cannot pass the card back to someone else to pay a second fare.

If you decide not to travel after you’ve tapped on simply tap the same card or device at an Opal reader on the same wharf or stop within 15 minutes to reverse the tap on for light rail travel and within 30 minutes for ferries, just as you would with an Opal card.

How to make a contactless transport fare payment

Separate your American Express, Mastercard or Visa card from other cards you’re carrying so your fare is charged to the right card.

If you’re paying with a digital device linked to your credit card, select the card you want to use from your digital wallet.

Tap on with your card or device at the Opal reader before you board the ferry or light rail.

Tap off with the same card or device you tapped on with when you reach your destination, just as you do with an Opal card.